Mountainside car transportation system



Sept. 27, 1938. F. PARDEE, JR.. ET AL ,1

MOUNTAINSIDE CAR TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM Filed Feb. 25, 1957 e Sheets-Sheet 1 FEM zv/r 34/?055 1? L a WO/P TH CuRT/N. Q

' ATTORNEYS Sept. 27, 1938- F. PARDEE, JR.. ET! AL.

MOUNTAINSIDE CAR TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM Filec} Feb. 25, 1937, 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS IFP'AA/K RA/PDEE JR.

ATTORNEYS Sept. 27, 1938. F. PARDEE, JR.. El AL H MOUNTAINSIDE CAR TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM Filed Feb. 25, 1937 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTORS A zv/r Bah- 0 EJ Larva/P771 CuRr/vv.

ATTORNEY3 Sept. 27, 1938. Q F. PARDEE, JR., ET AL I Z,131;452

MOUNTAINSIDE CAR TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM Filed Feb. 25, 1937 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTORS LLswo/Prfi Cu/Pr/N.

ATTORNEYS Sept. 27, 1938.

F. PARDEE, JR., Err AL MOUNTAINSIDE CAR TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Feb. 25, 1937 MN kw INVENTOR) \w an iPT/N.

ATTORNEYS Sept. 27, 1938. F.. PARDEE, JR., El AL v MOUNTAINSIDE CAR TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM Filed Feb. 25, 1957 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 INVENTORS f7f-A/v/r/ AR0EEc/E', ELLSWORTH CUE-77M ATTORNEYS Patented Sept. 27, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE MOUNTAINSIDE CAR TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM -..Application February 25, 1937 Serial No. 127,582

14 Claims. (Cl. 214-99) This invention relates to apparatus for conveying material, such as coal, down extensiveslopes', as-for example, from'a mine or tunnel down the side of a mountain or hill to a loading point and more particularly to apparatus of this general type capable of use'over a variable and uneven grade. I

A number'of different apparatus have been employed, ortried, for conveying mineral .materials, such as coal, from an elevated point down a sloping contour to a lower point. Some of such apparatus has required a constant grade free from hollows thereby necessitating the making of fillsor cuts or trestle work in order to obtain a continuously inclined path of travel. Others have avoided the nesessity of grading of this type, but have required expensive installations, orhave resulted in an excessive breakage or disintegration of'the material conveyed. I

-In thepresent invention, we provide a conveyor system in which coal or similar material may be conveyed down the side of a steep incline such as a hill or mountainside over variable slopes or terrain to a point of discharge with a minimum of breakage and in which the energy generated by the descent of the coal is efficiently transformed for useful purposes.

In this invention, a series of spaced cars are connected in spaced relation by endless. cables, which pass over' sheaves, each cable engaging a sheave at the upper or receiving end and at the lower end. The cars are successively filled or loaded near the upper end of the run and then passdownwardly to the point of discharge over tracks, which need not have a uniform grade or inclination.- Herethey are inverted as they pass around the lower sheaves or wheels and then are carried upwardly by the cables to the upper sheaves, where they are righted and again brought to loading position on the tracks. Thereupon, their cycle of movement is repeated. In this arrangement, the cars in their downward passage are supported by the tracksystem and are held in end to-end succession by the cables, so that they readily ride over relatively uneven track systems, that is, those which may change in grade or inclination.

In the above arrangement, as each car passes through a loading station, it automatically receives aload of material such as coal, or ore,

from a feedchute. This charge or load is deposited in the car by a mechanism operated from the upper sheaves of the cables to move an open bottom retaining bin downwardly past the lower end or edge of the feed chute simultaneously with they passage of the car therebeneath, and thus to drop the coal accumulated on the chute into the car immediately beneath it. Thereafter, the bin returns upwardly past the end or edge of the chute and interrupts further discharge of coal. Mechanisms arranged to, operate in properly timed relation to the movement of the cars and bin are also provided to interrupt the flow of coal Fig. 1 shows a general arrangement of appara tus embodying the invention showing the passage of the cars from an upper loading station or tipple to a lower discharge tipple; Fig. 2 is a plan view on a foreshortened enlarged scale of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a side view on a larger foreshortened scale of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1; Fig; 4 is aside viewof the apparatus for loading the cars near their upper sta-' tion; Fig. 5 is a plan View of a part of a mechanism of Fig. 4; Fig. 6 is a side view of mecha nism of Fig. 4 in discharge position; Figs. 7, 8 and 9 are side views of the apparatus of Fig. 6 in different positions; Figs. 10 and 11 are vertical sectional views showing the direction of movement of coal to the loading apparatus; Fig. 12 is a detailed plan view of a portion of the mechanism of Fig. 4; Fig. 13 is a vertical section of the upper cable sheave; Fig. 14 is a side view of a lower cable sheave. and Figs. 15 and 16 are, respectively, side views of the loading mechanisms showing the positions in different positions of operation thereof.

Referring more particularly to Figs. 1, 2 and 3, the apparatus is illustrated as applied to the. conveying of coal or similar ores, which may be obtained from a mine or tunnel indicated at 2!! and stored for conveyance in the head house 2i of the tipple. From this point, the ore is conveyed as for example by a belt conveyor 22 to mechanism indicated at 23 for loading the material into successive cars 24. These cars then pass downwardly on a track 25 to a lower point of discharge and then,

return by return track 26. The cars are kept in spaced position relative to each other while pass-V ing downwardly and returning by means of apair of cables 21, one at each side of the car, which pass about a pair of upper sheaves 28 above the loading station 23 and a pair of lower sheaves 29' at the lower discharge point. The energy generated in the downward'passage of the loaded cars serves to draw the empty car's back to their supporting position and provides an excess which is transmitted through the shaft 30 of the upper sheaves to an electric generator 3|, which acts as a brake and which supplies power for other purposes. The shaft 39 may also drive an automatic loading mechanism as hereinafter described. Thus, the loading mechanism may be said to be energized by the weight of the downwardly traveling loaded cars.

Cable 21, as more fully shown in Figs. 4, and 6, has blocks 32 mounted at regularly spaced intervals, which correspond with notches 33 in the peripheries of the sheaves 28, thereby to insure a uniform rotation of the sheaves with the cables. Regularly spaced blocks, for example, each fifth block, is secured to the front end of a respective car 24, by a cross-bar 34 of 13 or other means. The other blocks between the said fifth blocks are independent of the cars and freely fall into the notches 33.

As each successive car travels around the periphery of the upper sheaves 28 and comes right side up onto the track 25, it is brought to a position below a loading mechanism driven from the shaft 30 of the sheave. This loading mechanism comprises a fixed discharge chute or plate 35 inclining downwardly to its lower edge 36 and coacting with a movable open bottom bin 31 actuated by mechanism from the shaft 39 so that its lower end wall 38 is above the edge 36 until a car passes the lower edge, whereupon the bin is shifted to the position of Fig. 6, to permit coal to discharge into the car. Thereafter, the mechanism moves or returns the bin and stops it in its original position.

While the bin is in its lower discharging position, a swinging gate 39 is moved upwardly through a slit in the chute 35 to the position shown in Fig. 6, thereby interrupting the further flow or passage of the coal or other material down the chute until the discharge bin returns to its original position, at which time the swinging gate returns to the position shown in broken lines in Fig. 4, leaving a free and unobstructed passage for the coal on the chute.

The mechanism for moving the bin 31 and the swinging gate 39 is actuated or driven from the shaft 39 and therefore in synchronism with the movement of the cars 24. For this purpose, power is transmitted from the shaft 30 through a sprocket wheel 40 and chain 4| to a sprocket wheel 42 keyed or rigidly secured on a shaft 43. Accordingly, the shaft 43 is driven in clockwise direction as indicated by the arrow in Fig. 4. Also rigidly secured on the shaft 43 are crank arms 44, one at each side of the bin, to the respective free ends of each of which are connected one end of a link 45, the opposite end of each link being pivotally secured, as at 46 to the bin 31 near its upper end.

Accordingly, with each complete rotation of the shaft 43 and crank arms 44, the bin 31 is moved to its extreme upper position on the chute surface 35 and to its lowermost position with its end wall 38 below the edge 36 of a chute, so as to permit a free discharge of coal therefrom. It is to be noted that, the sprocket wheels 40 and 42 being of the same diameter, there is one complete revolution of the shaft 43 and crank arms 44 for each revolution of the sheave 28, which contains five notches and thus corresponds to the spacing of one car at each fifth block 32. It will be understood that, if different spacings are used, the speed relations of the sprockets 4|] and 42 will be changed accordingly to provide one revolution of the crank 44 for each car.

The belt 22 moving at a constant rate of speed receives a layer of coal or other mineral from a hopper 41 in the head house 2|, the thickness of the layer being regulated by a movable gate 48 (Fig. The belt 22, therefore, discharges the coal or other mineral onto the inclined chute 35 at a constant rate or volume at a given time. For a given rate of delivery of mineral by the belt 22 a quantity will be discharged by the bin 37 from the chute 35 into a car 24 depending upon the time between successive upward swings of the swinging gate 39.

The belt 22 and the cars 24 during normal operation are both moving continuously at a substantially uniform rate of speed, but inasmuch as the cars are spaced from one another the belt cannot continuously discharge material thereto in an efficient manner without an enormous spillage and breakage. In the improved apparatus, we interpose between the belt 22 and the traveling cars 24, mechanism effective to intercept the flow of material from the belt to intermittently transfer it in measured quantities to successive cars as they reach the loading station. This mechanism is so designed that in a transfer of material there will be a minimum fall thereof so as to prevent undue breakage or production of fines, which results in a lessening of sale value of many products such as ore, coal and the like.

The swinging of the gate 39 is coordinated or synchronized with the movements of the bin 31, the gate being actuated and controlled by a pair of cams 49, one at each side of the gate 39 and mounted on the links 45 at the respective sides of the bin 31. Each of the cams 49 has formed therein a. cam groove 5|] which coacts with roller 5| (Figs. 5, 11 and 12) projecting outwardly from side walls 52 integral with the swinging gate 39. The gate is pivoted at 53 and the cam groove 50, as shown in greater detail in Figs. and 16, is so shaped that it will open the swinging gate and permit the coal to flow past, when the bin 31 is above the lower edge 36 of the chute, that is, While the bin is in closed position.

The gate closes, when the bin passes the edge 36, and remains closed until the bin again returns to closed position. For this purpose, the groove 50 has a length 54 (see Fig. 16) extending from the point A to the point B, sloping upwardly relative to the center line of the respective link 45 and then substantially parallel therewith, so that as the link 45 moves clockwise, downwardly from the dead center position indicated at A in Fig. 15 to the position indicated at B, the roller 5| will move relatively upwardly an equivalent amount, so as to hold the upper edge of the swinging gate 39 approximately level with the surface of the chute 35, thus permitting the coal to flow from the upper part of chute 35 to the lower part thereof, which closes the bottom of the bin.

An extension 55 of this length from the point B to the point C curves slightly downwardly, so that in the upward swing of the link from the point B to the point C of Fig. 15, the gate 39 is swung very rapidly upwardly (to position of Fig. 9) to intercept the accumulated fiow of coal. As the link swings upwardly to the point D, the roller 5| moves back to the point B of Fig. 16 (see Fig. 9), maintaining the gate 39 in its intercepting position.

As the roller reaches the point D, it tends to drop into a downwardly extending length 56 of the cam groove so that, although the link 45 rises to its mid-stroke, the gate is falling so that at the point E in the cycle'when the lower-end of the bin 31 registers with the edge 36 of the chute the gate 39 is nearly open and by the time the roller drops to the point F in Fig. 16 the gate is entirely open, again permitting the flow of accumulated mineral or coal. This fully open position of the gate and corresponding positions of the bin, link and crank areillustrated in Fig.

7. In the length 51 between the points F and A (Fig. 16) while thelink 45 is falling from the raised position at F (Fig. 15) to the dead center point A, the cam groove rides idly over the roller so as to compensate for this drop and thus permit the left edge of the swinging gate 39 to dwell at approximately the level of the chute 35, so as to permit the free passage of coal thereover but ready tointercept it in the next closing operation.

It is to be noted that the chute 35 is inclined downwardly at a sharper angle than that'of the tracks 25 so that, when the bin is in discharging position as in Fig. 6, the caris spaced very closely to it so that there is a minimum fall of the material. Also the bin 31 moves on rollers 58, as indicated in Fig. 10, riding on rails 59 so as to avoid undue friction on the chute 35.

'At the lower end of the travel of the cars, as they move upwardly about the lower sheaves 29, the discharge end of the cars, as indicated in the broken lines in Fig. 14, is only slightly spaced above a conveyor belt 60 so that the coal slides readily onto this belt from which it is discharged to a discharge chute 6|. In this way, the height of fall of the coal or other mineral is reduced to a minimum and unnecessary breakage is thereby avoided.

The movements of the loading bin and the intercepting gate as well as the cycle of their operating mechanism can be traced graphically from the starting position of Fig. 15 tothe discharge position of Fig. 6 by comparison of the relative position of the corresponding parts as illustrated in the intermediate positions of Figs. 4, 7, 8 and 9.

While in the illustrated embodiment of the invention, we have shown a conveyor belt 22 for continuously supplying material to the inclined chute of the loader, it will be understood that said conveyor belt could be dispensedwith and per by proper adjustment of the outlet gate thereof. It is apparent from the foregoing description that a substantially constant. supply of material is being fed continuously to the continuously moving cars or other carriers and that the mechanism disclosed includes intermittently operated loading means interposed between the constant supply means and the constantly moving carriers.

In the normal operation of the loader, the moving bin and the intercepting gate are so coordinated with the movements of the carriers that as each carrier arrives in succession at a loading station a measured quantity of material will be delivered thereto. the description that the loading mechanism is driven or energized by the weight of the descending loaded cars or other carriers. Thus, the automatic loading of the carriers, while they descend down a hill or mountainside, is accomplished without the necessity of providing expensive motors or other prime movers.

Various modifications may be made by those It is also apparent from skilled in the art without departing from the in-; vention as defined in the appended claims.

What we claim is:

1. Apparatus for transporting material down a mountainside which comprises sheaves at difierent levels, an endless cable extending from a sheave at an upper level to a sheave at a lower level, a series of cars secured at spaced intervals to said cable, a track following approximately the contour or slope of the land to support said cars in descending from an upper level to a lower level, a crank operated member carrying a cam driven through said upper sheave from said descending cars, a loading bin moved by said member and a gate actuated by said cam, said bin and gate being effective to intermittently load said cars near said upper level.

2. Apparatus for transporting material down a slope comprising a succession of cars flexibly connected with one another in end to end relation in a continuous circuit, lower tracks over which the cars travel in descending and upper tracks over which the cars travel in inverted position in ascending, endless conveyor means delivering material at a substantially constant rate to said cars, car loading means interposed between said delivery means and the cars at a loading station and operating means synchronized with the movements of the cars for intermittently causing said loading means to release maaterial successively to said cars.

3. Apparatus for transporting materials down a slope which comprises a series of cars flexibly connected in a continuous circuit with one another in uniformly spaced end to end relation, respective lower and. upper supporting guides over which the cars travel in descending and ascending, a fixed loading chute, a movable loading bin between said guides coacting with said chute fortransferring material to said cars, a gate for intercepting the flow of material to the loading bin, and an oscillating crank actuated cam and related mechanism whose operation is synchro-' nized with the travel of said cars for intermittently actuating said bin and said gate whereby upon the arrival of each car at said loading station a predetermined load of material is delivered thereto.

4. Apparatus for transporting of material down a mountainside comprising a series of moving cars flexibly connected to one another in uniformly spaced intervals in an endless circuit, upper and lower inclined supporting guides following approximately the contour of the mountainside along which the cars travel, a loading station between said guides including an inclined chute for the delivery of material to the cars, a bottomless loading bin mounted for sliding move ment lengthwiseof the chute and located between said upper and lower guides, a movable -gate effective to intercept the fiow of material flexibly connected to one another in uniformly spaced intervals in an endlesscircuit, upper and lower inclined supporting guides following approximately the contour of the mountainside along which the cars travel, a loading station in-' cluding an inclined chute located between said guides for the delivery of material to the cars, a bottomless loading bin mounted for sliding movement lengthwise of the chute, a movable gate effective to intercept the flow of material from the upper part of the chute to said loading bin, means for feeding material to the upper portion of the chute at a substantially uniform rate, and means operatively associated with said flexibly connected series of cars and energized by the weight of the loaded descending cars of said series efiective'to actuate the gate and the loading bin at predetermined time intervals so that as each car of the series reaches the loading station a measured load of material will be released thereto.

6. Apparatus for transporting material down a mountainside, comprising a succession of cars flexibly connected with one another in end to end relation in a continuous circuit, respective tracks supporting the cars in their descent and ascent, means delivering material at a substantially constant rate to said cars, and car loading means in- ;terposed between said delivery means and the cars at a loading station, said loading means including a fixed inclined chute, a reciprocating loading bin with a bottom outlet slidable thereover, a gate for intercepting the flow of material along the chute to the loading bin, means for reciprocating the bin synchronized with the movement of the cars, a gate for intercepting the flow of material from the upper part of the chute to the loading bin and means for intermittently actuating said gate in predetermined time relation with respect to the movements of said loading bin.

7. Apparatus for transporting material down a mountainside, comprising a succession of cars flexibly connected with one another in end to end relation in a continuous circuit, respective lower and upper guides over which the cars descend and ascend, means delivering material at a substantially constant rate to said cars, and car loading means interposed between said delivery means and the cars at a loading station, an inclined chute between the guides at the loading station, the lower end of said chute terminating a short distance from the path of travel of the tops of descending cars, a bottomless loading bin mounted for movement lengthwise of and beyond the lower end of the chute, a gate for intercepting the flow of material from the upper part of the chute to the loading bin, a rotary member driven in synchronism with the movement of the cars, an element actuated thereby for reciprocating the bin, and actuating means for the gate operating in response to the movements of said element.

8. Apparatus for transporting material down a mountainside, which comprises sheaves at different levels, an endless cable traveling over the sheaves, a series of substantially uniformly spaced cars operatively connected with the cable, respective upper and lower tracks for supporting and guiding the cars, an inclined chute located between said tracks at an upper loading station, a bottomless loading bin coacting therewith and mounted for reciprocating movement thereover and beyond the lower end thereof, a gate controlling the flow of material along the chute to the bin, and mechanism driven through the upper sheave for reciprocating said bin and actuating said gate at predetermined time intervals whereby as each car moves past the loading station a load. is delivered thereto.

-9. Apparatus for transporting material, comprising respective sheaves at different levels, a flexible element passing therearound, a series of carriers secured at spaced intervals to said element, means preventing relative slippage between the sheaves and said element, an inclined fixed chute at a loading station, means delivering a substantially constant flow of material thereto, a reciprocating loading bin having end and side walls and an open bottom slidable over said chute, a gate movable relatively to the chute controlling the flow of material to said bin and operating mechanism for said bin and gate driven through one of said sheaves. V 10. Apparatus for transporting material comprising respective sheaves at different levels, a flexible element passing therearound, a series of carriers secured at spaced intervals to said element, means preventing relative slippage between the sheaves and said element, an inclined fixed chute at a loading station, a conveyor delivering a substantially constant supply of material thereto, a reciprocating loading bin having end and side walls and an open bottom slidable over said fixed chute, a gate movable transversely of the chute controlling the flow of material to said bin, operating means energized by the weight of the downwardly traveling loaded carriers effective to actuate said gate and said bin at recurring predetermined time intervals so as to intermittently load empty carriers as they move in succession past said loading station.

11. In combination, means for-maintaining a substantially constant flow of material to a loading station, wheeled cars connected in a continuous circuit moving at a substantially constant speed past said station, lower and upper tracks supporting the wheeled cars respectively in their descent and ascent, and mechanism, located between said tracks and driven by the weight of loaded descending cars including intermittently acting means for individually loading each car while it is moving past said loading station.

12. Apparatus for transporting material down a mountainside, which comprises a respective sheave at an upper and a lower level, a flexible element looped around both sheaves, wheeled cars engaging the flexible element at uniformly spaced intervals, fixed tracks following approximately the contour and slope of the land for coaction with the wheel of the cars as they descend from an upper to a lower level, and intermittently actuated means synchronized with the traveling movement of said cars for loading them individually as they pass a predetermined point.

13. Apparatus for transporting material down a mountainside which comprises an upper sheave, a lower sheave, an endless belt comprising cars at uniform intervals, a lower track for said cars as they pass downwardly from said upper sheave to said lower sheave, an upper track to support and guide said cars in inverted position on their return to said upper sheave, a loading station below said upper sheave and comprising means for supplying a continuous stream of material to said loading station, means for accumulating the material thus fed at said loading station, and means driven by said upper sheave and said endless belt for loading the accumulated material on successive cars as they reach said loading station,

14. Apparatus for transporting material down a mountainside which comprises an upper sheave, a lower sheave, an endless belt passing about said sheaves and comprising cars at uniformly spaced intervals, a lower track for supporting said cars in passing downwardly from said upper sheave to said lower sheave, an upper track for supporting and guiding said cars on their return from said lower sheave to said upper sheave,

an endless conveyor for supplying material between said tracks below said upper sheave, means for accumulating the material thus supplied, and means operated in synchronism with said cars to load material accumulated successively into successive cars as said cars pass downwardly from said upper to said lower sheave.

FRANK PARDEE, JR. ELLSWORTH CURTIN. 

